Hearts Undefined
by bloodymary2
Summary: To be completely free, one must know real love, and understand how it can be quickly lost. CASEFILE, BA. Around season 6. COMPLETE
1. First glimpse

**_DISCLAIMER_: **I do not own these characters. To be honest, I own very little. Wonderful Bobby and Alex belong to Wolf, who probably has no time or inclination to worry about fanfic, anyway. But, not to leave things unsaid… Not disrespect intended. Copying is the ultimate form of praise! So, don't sue.

_**A/N: **_A little casefile for our detectives to solve; first chap is merely an introduction.Also, it will be subtle, but there will be a little romance between them. You have been warned!

Mostly finished… though, as it remains my biggest problem, I can't seem to decide how to finish it. Posting now, because it will sit gathering dust in my comp otherwise. Suggestions welcome!

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**HEARTS UNDEFINED**

**by bloodymary2**

CHAPTER 1: First glimpse…

The first thing you notice is the silence.

A woman, tall and fit, stands near the long conference table, arms crossed. Her long, naturally blond hair cascades down her back and serves as a curtain to her bent face, hiding it from view. She is dressed casually in dark jeans and a snug red t-shirt, making her seem younger than she really was. As the silence permeates the room, she remains unmoving, except for the sporadic shaking of the shoulders.

She tries to suppress it and refuses to glance up.

A man, taller than his companion, stands a few feet away, on the opposite side of the oak table, which takes up most of the room. He is leaning forward, towards his friend, supporting his weight by his arms. The tan of his hands contrasted lightly with the white papers adorning the table. They were flat against the surface of the barrier between them. He is handsome, in an unconventional sort of way, with light blue eyes and dark brown hair. The frown gracing his tired face, though, seems to mask the soft lines of his features.

He is watching the woman before him with the utmost attention.

_Snort…_

Eyes widening, the man's face is suddenly taken with indignation.

"Cath!" his voice, deep, was far from being angry. He sounded like a parent scolding their child.

Upon his outburst, Catherine stopped trying to restrain herself and allowed the laughter to resound loudly on the walls of the room they were in. When her face finally came out of its golden hide-out, she met her coworker's outing face. She grinned wildly.

Her male counterpart did not seem to share her amusement.

"Oh, c'mon, Paul!! Can you really blame me for finding what you just proposed hilarious?" He sighed, still in the same position he had taken a few minutes before. Paul averted his eyes, glancing down.

"I'm really pushing it, aren't I?" She nodded and he straightened up. Resignation. Cath couldn't leave it be, though. An opportunity like this? Priceless. It was too much temptation and she wasn't best known for her self control…

Not in moments like this anyway.

"I've heard of some really strange attempts at insanity plea, but sorcery? He unintentionally zapped her to death with his _powers_?" She smirked. "Really, Paul, that's just grasping at straws." Hearing his theory thrown back at him, made the lawyer realize that he had indeed been silly.

_What had he been thinking?_

Strong fingers covered his tired eyes, rubbing hard against his closed lids. Momentarily he saw nothing but green splotches swimming back and forth in his line of vision. When that cleared up a bit, Cath's sympathetic gaze swan into focus.

"You are beyond tired, Paul. When was the last time you slept?" he uttered a shy retort, but the woman made herself ignorant of it. "Go home and get some rest…" Her gentle smile soothed him immediately and he consented. To be true, her presence alone was almost always enough to calm him when he was restless.

Besides, tired didn't even come close to explaining the level of exhaustion his body felt.

His partner helped him pack up the messy paperwork scattered all around and then proceeded to the door. She had a coat draped on her left arm. Paul turned out the lights and followed Catherine to the elevator, briefcase and winter coat in hand. His body leaned heavily against the wall nearest to him. Zoning out, he only snapped back into reality with a small tug at the sleeve of his rolled up shirt sleeve.

He looked down.

Cath pulled him behind her, leading her zombie of a friend through the empty street. Their cars were parked next to each other on the curb near the main entrance. She hesitated.

"Are you fit to drive, Paul?"

He smiled at her, a small, tired smile that managed to make butterflies flutter in her belly. He looked adorable and he wasn't even trying to be charming. Leaning forward only slightly, given their already close proximity, Paul dropped a quick kiss on her cheek, maybe lingering just bit longer than he should have.

Cath didn't seem to mind, though.

With a hand on the small of her back, he guided her to the driver's side of her grey car. Patiently he waited for her to get inside the vehicle and the relative security it provided. It was late, after all.

She didn't start the engine, though.

Paul, aware of her silent message, rolled his eyes. Conceding her this small victory, he made his way to his own black sports car and got in.

Together they left the office of Smith, Benson & Hart, a well respected firm of law they had come to know as a second home over the years. Paul and Catherine drove in separate directions, the constant noise of the city that never slept quickly swallowing the sounds of their respective engines.

That was the beginning of the end.

_Agony scream…_

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UPDATES ON SATURDAYS! Still, it would be nice to get reviews... You know you want to!


	2. Another day, another case

_**DISCLAIMER**_: in the first chapter...

**_A/N:_** Thank to my two reviewers (BabyBeaver and MARY T), I hope this isn't so bad. Please review!

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HEARTS UNDEFINED

**by bloodymary2**

CHAPTER 2: Another day, another case.

_He was staring._

With his head supported by both hands, as his elbows rested on top of paperwork he didn't particularly wanted to do, Bobby Goren couldn't help but stare at her. His overactive mind, almost never resting, slowly and very thoroughly catalogued every single detail of his partner's face. Bobby couldn't stop himself from comparing her now to all the other versions of her he has collected over the years.

She showed no sign of having noticed.

But he knew better.

Maybe he focused too much on his cases, forgetting the rest of the world in the process. It's possible that he takes much of her for granted. But, even though all that stood true most of the time, her presence by his side is something he's always aware of. His partner's prolonged absence during her maternity leave only served to foment deep within him the knowledge of his absolute need for her.

It was fact and not even Goren could refute facts.

Time elapsed without him noticing it. Considering his rapt attention on the petite blond woman sitting across from him, though, that's understandable. However, Alex Eames seamless lack of awareness to her partner's intense perusal was just an act. And she could tell you, should you have felt the need to ask, just how long he's been doing that.

_Too long._

She had chosen to ignore his shameless staring. Then, when that didn't work, she worked hard not to let it show that very little was getting done on her part. His gaze, like a heat wave suffocating her, made the small hairs on her arms stand up and her breath to catch.

It was ridiculous, really, that all he had to do was look at her to cause such an intense reaction on her body.

A whole hour passed.

And it would have been longer had it not been for Jimmy Deakins sudden appearance by their desks. Their Captain had expected an acknowledgement from his detectives. Neither noticed him there. After all, Bobby was too busy staring at his friend and Alex was pretending too hard to be oblivious to her observer for any of them to actually pay attention to the rest of the bullpen.

The senior officer rolled his eyes and cleared his throat.

Only Alex looked up.

"Cap?" the look of absolute innocence and composure she projected made him feel the need to roll his eyes again. He suppressed such inclination.

"Is Goren taking a vacation to LaLa land I didn't know about or is staring at you much more interesting than his paperwork?" Alex didn't have the decency to blush. She only smiled brightly, disarming him completely. He opened his mouth…

BAM!

Alex's hand had come crashing loudly onto the strip of her partner's desk she could reach without straining too much. Deakins jumped up, caught totally by surprise, but when he turned to see Bobby's reaction, the man found himself disappointed. Calmly regaining the grasp on reality, Goren had merely lowered his arms and shot his petite counterpart an amused look. Jimmy could practically hear the laughter shinning in their mischievous eyes.

"Very funny, Eames."

"I try." She shrugged.

"My office, now!" though he had tried to convey anger and a modicum of authority, the older man failed to come across as such. No matter. Eames and Goren knew better than to ignore such a command.

Without a spare glance in the partner's direction, he chased back to his glass paneled office. It was clear he expected them to follow, no protestations.

The door clicked shut behind Goren, while Alex took a seat on one of the chairs facing Deakins' desk. Gone was the light atmosphere from moments before. It was time to get down to work. A thick manila folder was presented to Alex, who quickly passed it over to Bobby, standing behind her.

The Captain didn't wait for the detective to read the file though.

"Homicide is pushing this case to Major Case and I'm assigning it to you." No contestation, as he knew there wouldn't be. "We have two pairs of bodies so far, no leads. There are signs of torture and strange circumstances around the dumping of the bodies… The chief of D's wants this solved before we find anymore victims and before the media gets a whiff of this mess."

"Why Homicide passed it on?" Alex inquired, knowing that her partner was nodding in agreement, even without being able to see him from where she sat.

"Inter problems… The kind that involves IAB." It was the only explanation they would get out of their boss, as his tone made clear, and they didn't bother trying to ask for more. None of their business, anyway.

"I want to be kept informed, okay?" two small nods and the blond detective rose, following her much taller friend out into the bullpen. Watching them go, Deakins couldn't help the strange fall in the pit of his stomach.

He had a bad feeling about this case.

He frowned his brow thoughtfully...

Very bad feeling.


	3. Every journey of

_**DISCLAIMER:**_ in th efirst chapter...

_**A/N:**_ Thank you for my lovely reviewers... You guys deserve Bobby made chocolates! Or character of your choosing.

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**HEARTS UNDEFINED**

**by bloodymary2**

CHAPTER 3: Ever journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

"Okay, let's run this through." Alex was the first to speak, still looking at the notes she had made, while slowly working on the knot strategically lumping her left shoulder.

They had both spend the last couple of hours going over the thick file Homicide had on the case. The conference room they currently occupied had been quickly overrun by lab reports, transcripts from innumerous interviews and countless photographs from every possible angle.

It didn't take them long to realize how gruesome the crimes had been, regardless of how peaceful the scenes had seemed.

"Huh… First two bodies were – Catherine Albertson and Paul Marks. CoD was heart failure and exsanguination, respectively. Tox screen came back negative for both. Signs of torture… multiple cuts and burns… and bruises that suggest our perp had a predilection to jump cables." She glanced up at him.

"They were – lawyers and… worked together… Reported missing 4 days before their bodies turned up in Central Park." Bobby had a slight tilt to his head as he rose his gaze to meet his partner's. Once he had her attention, he turned back to the pictures spread out before him.

"They were… positioned. Both of them were dressed professionally – and they were placed on the bench like…" spreading his arms slightly and turning a bit sideways, he tried demonstrating the embrace. "… Like a couple holding each other. It was intimate."

He tapped the picture of Paul and Cath he had been scrutinizing. "That's important."

"The killer obviously hurried. He had to have placed them like that before _rigor mortis_ set in." Alex added.

Bobby slowly nodded, deep into his own mind.

"He also cleaned them up. There was almost no blood on the bodies, certainly no traces of it on the clothes. We should check if it was really theirs. That may result in some leads… or not." It was New York after all, no use getting their hopes up on what would surely turn out to be a dead end.

Goren got up then and grabbed the picture he had been studying. Contouring the table, he came to rest behind his partner's chair. He leaned forward and brought the print so she could see it.

"He's – trying to send a massage." She nodded in agreement, not sure she was following his point. "The trouble with the image… the final picture of them together… it suggests an intimate relationship."

Alex was starting to catch up. She turned to meet his eyes. And they ended up with their noses barely inches apart. Bobby seemed oblivious and didn't move away. He had his gaze downwards, but Alex found it hard to believe he had failed to notice her so close. _Couldn't he hear her heart's erratic beating?_

Sigh.

She leaned back to put a little space between them and, to avoid an awkward moment, ignored the incident and nodded. Again, he showed no signs of having noticed and continued speaking.

"We are meant to look at this and think they were together. But – were they?" He straightened up and Alex couldn't avoid a slow release of breath of relief. _And disappointment. _"Just because they worked together, doesn't mean they were indulging in a more intimate relationship."

"Doesn't mean they weren't, either." she smirked, while turning back to her notes.

She missed the confused frown that appeared on his brow and the tilt of the head that accompanied it.

"Any evidence on the scene?" Eames' voice registered and Bobby was back, pacing around the table and coming again into her field of vision. After so many years working together, she could practically see his mind at work.

After pausing and fixing his gaze at an indistinct spot for a while, he shock his head. _No._ And he was back at pacing.

"Not much blood. Just the victims. No prints or shoe marks – no witnesses. The early jogger, who found them didn't see anything. The only reason he stopped was because there was a dove sitting on top of Catherine's head." She sighed. Nothing useful on that particular front.

"And the other two?"

"Ester Richmond, 31 and Michael Downes, 30. They were cops… detectives on the 3-9. They were found in similar fashion and dress. Same CoD too. No evidence." Goren continued pacing. "Homicide detectives went pretty far back, but no past cases seem to connect the victims…" Still standing, he paused again, crossing his arms and brought one of his fists to his mouth.

That was a Goren trademark and it usually meant that something had occurred to him or something had confused him. Alex wasn't sure which, yet. Knowing better than to interrupt, she returned her attention to the photographs spread out before her. The blond detective gathered two, one of Catherine and Paul and another of Ester and Michael, placing them next to each other.

The similarities were obvious.

_Then again,__ so were the differences…_

Both lawyers were tall and Caucasian. Both healthy and in shape. The two detectives, her Caucasian and him African-American, were not so well matched. Ester was taller than her partner. Michael had one two many donuts in recent years, though he was still strong and probably put up a fight.

There was no uniformity to the type of victims they should expect next. Not physically, at least.

But, looking at both pictures, no signs of the torture they had endured evident on the skin visible to the eye, Alex couldn't shake the feeling of likeness between them. It wasn't just the way they had been placed. It was something more…

She didn't know what, though.

"We need more information about the victims. They're connected, more – more than the obvious. They're… They have something in common… that drew the killer's attention." He let his arms fall at his sides. "He chose them… specifically."

"He?" It took Goren so long, that Alex had almost given up getting an answer. It could have been a slip of the tongue, but where Bobby was concerned, that was very rarely the case.

"He won't stop…" Bobby sighed. "It took a lot of planning for this. A lot of time…working out the details. What he's doing… it's not random. He's only getting started." Eames didn't like the way his voice echoed with such ominous tone around her. Or what he had implied.

Sigh.

They were in for a long ride, she dreaded.

"Do we have the victims contact information?" She searched the notepad where she had compiled the list they would need and passed it to Bobby. He placed it carefully inside his brown leather portfolio.

Together they grabbed their coats, shouted a quick relay of their plans towards their captain's open door and left One PP.

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REIVEWS make me more inspired and I need inspiration to finish this... so REVIEW!


	4. Hell's agony

**DISCLAIMER:** in the first chapter...

Thank you all who reviewed. Enjoy!

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**HEARTS UNDEFINED**

**by bloodymary2**

CHAPTER 4: Hell's Agony…

_Scream…_

Voice hoarse and strained, no longer trying to suppress the sound from escaping his dry throat. Loudly it echoed within his own ears, an ever present reminder of the pain. As if he needed reminding. No… After an indistinct moment stretched into eternity, one would think that his body would've succumbed to numbness already.

It hadn't.

Every single cut, oh so slowly against his sensitized skin; every rounded burn, deleteriously kept longer and longer against every inch of his torso; every current passed through his cold, wet body… He could feel them all, each individual spot of pain inflicted upon his naked self. It went on for hours and hours.

And the hurt…

First silent, as they broke free from the corners of his eyes. Then in agony, as they were painstakingly evoked with every scream leaving him. And finally, the constant stream of salty tears, as he was washed over by the desperation consuming his heart.

_Mel__…_

She, like himself, hung from a hook strapped to a ceiling Jack couldn't see. Naked, her body bore witness to the same torture his own had had to endure. Sob. He didn't know what had hurt the most; suffering or having been forced to watch her suffer. Her, screaming. His beautiful Mel…

Face to face, but miles apart.

_Whimper._

Jack was too exhausted to scream. There was hardly enough air left within his lungs to breathe, let alone emit any type of sound stronger then the quiet whimper that had escaped his dry lips.

"Is that all you've got to give me, Jack?" chilling cold voice whispered into his ears from behind. The prisoner had learned not to answer.

A black glad figure emerged from shadows, into the source of light in the otherwise dark, damp room. The spot, strategically placed between Jack and Mel, illuminated the captives, leaving all the rest in darkness.

Like an actor performing on a stage, the man running this show came to stand between Jack and Melinda. He glanced from one to the other. A grin of pleasure parted his mouth and Jack tensed.

"Is it her turn again, Jack?" The helpless man hated how his name sounded when his capturer spoke it, at the end of every single sentence. Still, he didn't answer.

Riling him up was exactly what that psycho wanted and Jack refused to give that retched man any more excuses to touch his dear friend. He had learned his lesson, he had.

A small drop of water mixed with sweat dripped from the tired man's black hair, lading on his forehead and tracing his face like a caress. Jack shuddered, but did not look away from the evil man's chilling blue eyes.

"Smart man you are, Jack. Already figured out the rules of this little game we are playing, Jack." The approval tossed his way almost made him answer, all the things he wanted to do to that sadist at the tip of his tongue.

Jack said nothing.

And their kidnapper nodded, admitting defeat… Even if only temporarily. For a mere millisecond, Jack could have sworn he saw a deep melancholy swimming in the azure of his dangerous enemy's eyes. A sadness he could nearly relate to.

_No…_

It must have been a trick of his over-fatigued mind. Monsters didn't feel.

The man, discerning his target's slight shift of thought, considered the possibility that he might come to be understood. He yearned for that. However, Jack's momentary scrutiny was short lived and contempt shone back at him.

_Defeat._

The grey haired, tall man unhurriedly left the spotlight, without glancing or touching Melinda. After his body had vanished from sight, Jack heard the tall tale sounds of weight against creaky stairs. Jack counted seventeen steps. The same as before.

A door clicked shut and several locks could be heard as they found their individual slots.

The rest was silence.

"Mel?" Jack barely recognized his own voice. "Melinda?!"

No answer.

"Mel, honey… Please wake up… Please!" Still she didn't answer, didn't move. He could hardly see her body breathing. He sobbed, shaking uncontrollably, angry at the restraints that prevented his limbs from reaching for her.

Time passed and exhaustion over passed his ability to struggle. Jack went limp.

_Resigned…_

No hopes left.

And the man, his broad back firmly pressed to the wall adjacent to the door he had just locked, allowed his body to slide to the floor. His chin dropped, meeting his chest. Darkness permeated his own surroundings, but the speck of light coming from down the hall was enough to illuminate his old, worn face. His cheeks were shinning with tears, all traces of glee and pleasure erased from his eyes.

From the breast pocket of his black shirt, his ruff hand withdrew a small picture. It was easily dwarfed by his thick fingers and the edges were frayed from much handling. The smiling face of a young blond woman could be seen. He gently caressed the photo, tracing her eyes and lips.

_Sigh…_

The tears started anew and sobs rose from his throat.

And he remained on the floor, long after Jack had stopped calling his companion or sobbing himself. The man, picture clutched against his heaving chest stayed there, until Jack's voice called out again, announcing through his agonizing despair, Melinda's unmoving body.

_She wasn't breathing anymore._

The man allowed his eyes to close and his head to fall, defeated.

Another failure to add to his already growing list.

_Oh, Anna…_

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	5. No leads

**DISCLAIMER**: in the first chapter...

**A/N**: This is to all who are enjoying this, reviewers or not!

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**HEARTS UNDEFINED**

**by bloodymary2**

CHAPTER 5: No leads but that which leads to trouble.

Television, these days, seemed to glorify the work of police enforcement and detectives. Watching all these pieces falling perfectly into place, one would be led to believe that solving a case was easy or fast if you had some brains. It wasn't. There weren't always prints left behind. Clues left in the scene, if there were any, didn't always pan out. Solving a case wasn't like solving a puzzle.

Things didn't always have a why or a reason.

Not everything could be categorized into something you could understand or accept.

But above all else, police work could be just plain old boring.

Alex Eames and Bobby Goren usually drew the high profile cases. Lots of excitement, lots of twisted truths to unravel and lots of days filled with endless interviews that led to a whole lot of nothing.

**39****TH**** PRECINCT**

**NYPD**

**New York**

**June 12****th**

The interrogation room they now occupied, in much resembled their own back in One PP. Bobby could, of course, take stock of all the small details that deferred. However, watching the tall, strong and very nervous detective sitting across from him was infinitively more interesting.

Sure, as soon as they had identified themselves as the detectives working on the senseless murders of a couple of their own, all personnel on the 3-9 had made themselves available to help. Brothers in blue united and all that. So Alex, stepping in before Bobby could say something to offend said loyalty, and he was probably going to, had rounded up those who had worked more closely with Ester and Michael.

Up to that point, the Major Case detectives hadn't met any obstacles.

Alex had started off all interviews, drawing up information about current cases and personal habits of both veteran detectives. It was routine and nothing they didn't already knew, but a necessary step. Not only that, it allowed the subjects of these interviews to fall into a false sense of security, before Goren went for the jugular.

He had mastered it.

Without delay, Bobby had steered the conversation towards the victim's personal relationship with each other. In fact, the tall profiler had asked, point blank, if they had been sleeping together. Vehement denials.

_They were friends, sure…_

_Always professional…_

_Worked well together, but that's it…_

Never ones to be dissuaded by people's opinions when evidence spoke of the contrary, Alex and Bobby had, nonetheless, come pretty close to giving up these pointless interviews, when Det. Chris Stuart had entered the grey, oppressing room.

When Bobby had asked _**the**_ question, Chris hadn't offered denials or explanations for such a misguided view of reality. He hadn't confirmed it, either. No, this dark haired, young officer had only looked away, twisted his hands, which had been resting on top of the stainless steel table and frowned.

"Why do you want to know that?" it wasn't insecurity that laced his words, as Bobby had first anticipated.

It was worry.

Goren, who had been sitting back, with his portfolio open before him, leaned forward and adopted that gentle, 'you can trust me' tone. Alex remained silent, but observant.

"We have reason to believe that their personal involvement may be relevant to the case…" Extending his left hand until it came close to touching Stuart's fingers; Bobby twisted his head sideways to catch the man's gaze. "If there is anything you know that could help us stop this from happening again…" It wasn't an order, barely a request. Alex knew, though, that their fellow detective would share all he knew.

"I never saw them together or anything like that, but…" Chris met Goren's intense brown eyes. "It was just something everyone assumed was true, you know? We didn't really talk about it, but we knew it was there… Even the Cap had his suspicion, I guess." Small shrug.

Bobby sat back and thanked Stuart's help, dismissing him in the process.

Without turning to look at him, Alex tilted her head sideways.

"Everyone knew, huh? Doesn't mean they were an item." She heard, more than saw, her partner readjusting his large frame on the chair to face her. He had heard more than her words had spoken and all his body language screamed for details.

She conceded, the ghost of a smile playing at the corner of her mouth..

Moving only her head to meet his questioning gaze, she lost herself for a moment in the intensity of his eyes, focused solely on her tiny self. She should have kept her mouth shut. Now, Alex had no option but to tell him. He would pester her all day if she didn't.

_Sigh._

Didn't have to be facing him when she said it though…

"Just because the entire department thought they had hooked up, doesn't make it true. Heck, everyone we work with thinks we're doing it…" Alex stole a glance at his direction. "And we both know that's not true."

She looked away again, but could vaguely see, in the corner of her eye, his head slowly nodding. He saw her point.

Rising, Alex pushed the chair she had been occupying back under the table and headed for the door. Before she reached for the knob, Alex stopped and turned fully around. She had quickly noticed his large absence at her heels.

He still sat, fist against his mouth, profoundly pensive.

"Bobby?" No answer. She had to try a couple of times more for him to acknowledge her.

"You and me? There are rumors about that?" She nodded, slightly amused at a man that could be so perceptive about everything, being clueless about something so glaringly obvious. It's not like the gossip patrol was discreet.

He frowned.

"But… Why?" Again, Bobby turned towards her, shifting his weight nervously in the uncomfortable chair. The look of absolute confusion etched on his round, innocent face gave Alex pause. How should she explain it? The detective wasn't sure she understood it herself.

So, Alex only shrugged.

"Sometimes, people have a hard time placing things into categories they're already familiar with. So, they see what they want and twist what they see. I guess we fall under that hard to define category." She was avoiding meeting his eyes.

"And you think that's the reason for the… rumors?" She gave him a small nod. "And Michael and Ester… You think they were in … our – situation?" She shrugged once more.

_Maybe._

Alex sighed, almost angry at herself for being this self-conscious about this situation. Angrier still, for not knowing why she had felt shy all of a sudden. Regardless… These self analysis were best kept for later, when she was alone and armed with proper comfort food.

Looking up, finally, Alex wasn't met by the inquisitive eyes of her partner. No, the sight that greeted her return to reality was of Bobby pacing the small room like a caged animal. His arms and hands were flying left and right in wide, but contained gestures.

Eames backed up, not out of fear, but out of curiosity and placed herself against the wall adjacent to the door, which remained closed still. Straining to hear his quiet mutterings, she wasn't able to catch more than a few words. So she waited.

And then he stopped, spun on the heels of his black shoes and faced her.

Cocking his head to the right, he slowly approached her. Alex felt, strangely, like a prey under scrutiny, so intent was he on her form. If she hadn't already been with her back pressed against the wall, she might have taken a step back. As it was, Alex chose not to move.

It's not like she feared he would do anything to hurt her, anyway.

One, two, three, four, five, six small steps brought Bobby Goren's broad chest to bare inches from her face. He glanced down and she looked up, quirking an eyebrow in amusement. Surely he had to be aware of their close proximity now.

His eyes, though, stared unseeing within himself, while his brain worked in overdrive. He said nothing. Alex rolled her eyes, exasperated. Sighing again, for what felt like the thousandth time this week, Alex placed a hand upon his chest and pushed lightly. That worked like a charm and he snapped back into focus.

Not having the need to overly strain her neck to catch his face anymore, the petite blond shot him an annoyed look. He got the message. Fidgeting unsurely, he opened his mouth to explain himself and promptly closed it.

Rubbing the back of his neck, he folded his frame in an awkward way, to bring his face to the same altitude as hers. The small, diminutive smile he threw her way was enough to dissuade her from hitting him upside the head. For now.

"It's all a matter of perspective, right?" Up and down her head went, not necessarily following his train of thought, but willing to listen, nonetheless.

He quickly gathered his portfolio, closing the zipper as he strode to the door and opened it. Gesturing for her to proceed him, he spoke once more.

"Let's find out, if the other victims also had that perception problem…"

Smiling, Alex left the room, Bobby following in her steps.

"And if what was perceived was the truth or not…" She added, the excitement of the case finally catching up to her.

And with her back to her seemingly oblivious partner, Alex failed to see the way Bobby had cocked his head and watched her go, a tint of a smile gracing his magnetic lips, before he snapped to and ran up to catch up to her.

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Reviews chocolate me smiling like a fool... ;D


	6. Waiting and torture

**DISCLAIMER:** in the first chapter...

**A/N**: Thank you to Kyasurin-Chan for pointing my mistakes (I trie dot correct them all) and to all others who reviewed. I'm glad oyu like how I portray Goren - he is so much fun to write!

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**HEARTS UNDEFINED**

**by bloodymary2**

CHAPTER 6: Waiting is a common sort of torture.

Captain Jimmy Deakins had never been a great fan of politics. His passion for the job had much more to do with the day to day grunt work necessary to run an investigation, than the play of influence and interest one in his position was required to partake in. So, it was not rare to find him deeply involved with most cases the bullpen was working on at any given time.

He liked to be in the loop.

And, even if he tried to never favor one of his detectives over another, it was hard for him to deny his particular fondness for Major Case's dynamic duo. He saw them coming into view now.

Rising to his feet, Jimmy exited his own fishbowl of an office and met the pair just as they seated themselves across from each other.

"Anything?" Bobby barely acknowledged his presence.

"We have a theory, but it's too soon to be sure of anything." Alex was supporting her weight on her elbows, her upper body turned to her boss.

"As far as we can tell, both set of victims fell under the same profile. Whoever is responsible for their deaths… targeted them for a specific reason. He planned it all in detail, no false moves." As he spoke, Bobby's eyes remained glued to the array of papers crowding his portfolio. Alex simply nodded in agreement, picking up the line of thought.

"Both pairs worked together, closely, and everyone around them were convinced they were also together in the biblical sense…" she trailed off.

Deakins leaned forward slightly, a curious expression upon his face.

"Were they?"

"We don't think so." She shook her head, a strand of blond hair falling across her eyes. Alex tucked it back into place.

"That's what attracted the killer to them…" Goren sported a faraway look on his face. "It wasn't any real relationship they had going, but the way it was perceived by anyone outside looking in." He head snapped up and Deakins could see the wide, very fake smile he had forced upon his lips. "But that's all just conjecture… Right, Eames?"

Alex only rolled her eyes skyward, faking exasperation.

"Of course."

Deakins just shook his head at their antics, retreating to his office. He hadn't been fooled by Goren's quick dismissal, knowing there was something he was not saying. He decided, however, to refrain from commenting just yet.

At the click of their boss' door shutting, Bobby turned to face his partner, a somber look replacing his playful one. Alex met his gaze, a slight frown upon her brow. Deakins wasn't the only one who had noticed Bobby hiding something.

She urged an answer silently.

Bobby breathed in deeply and spoke softly. "I think whoever did this… these murders… is trying to recreate an event. Maybe - hum – to rectify something that… went wrong. Or –hum – something that never happened…"

"But he wished it did." He nodded, agreeing.

_Sigh. _

Unfortunately, there wasn't much more they could do at this point, but wait. And waiting was always the worst part. It meant someone else had to die; someone else had to suffer so they could do their jobs.

Alex lowered her gaze and pulled some forms out, proceeding to catch up on endless paperwork they could never seem to finish. Still, her mind could not disassociate from the case. The more they had pried into the lives of those four victims, the more uneasy Alex had felt. There were too many parallels to hers and Bobby's relationship for her not to feel like that.

She was sure Bobby had noticed it too and Alex wished she could see into his thoughts, hoping to reassure herself that it all come down to simple coincidence. Many male-female pairs worked closely together in a number of different career paths. It didn't mean anything.

_Right?_

Unbeknownst to her, Bobby was mulling over every single detail that matched and every one the deferred their relationship and the victims'. Frustratingly, he had a hard time escaping the only answer these analyses provided. So, he worried.

A lot…

* * *

REVIEW!


	7. Abysm

**DISCLIMER:** in the first chapter...

**A/N**: Warm brownies for C.I.TigerFan and LOCISVU... thank you for reviewing and I hope you like this new chap.

* * *

**HEARTS UNDEFINED**

**by bloodymary2**

CHAPTER 7: Do not look into the abysm, it might look back.

Three days passed by slowly, no new clues or addictions to their theories making a timely appearance; their suspect's list remained blank. Three days crawled by, sleep eluding Bobby Goren like a master pray he could not capture. Eyelids heavy and a scruffy shadow covering his cheeks contrasted starkly with the clean and crisp suit he was wearing.

Alex divided her time worrying about the case and worrying about Bobby.

The blond woman, brow furrowed, opened her mouth to call her partner, so she could reassure herself of his well-being. She was timely interrupted, however, by their Captain bellowing their names. Bobby didn't react at all, so lost was he in the mystery of his unfinished paperwork. No amount of noise from her part seemed to draw his attention.

So Alex rose from her soft, pinkish chair and went around their joined desks, coming to stand beside the silent giant. She reached out a hand and placed it gently on his shoulder, calling his name.

No response.

Shaking his shoulder, none too gently this time, Alex leaned forward, until her lips were only inches from Bobby's right ear. Loudly she called him again.

He didn't jump in surprise and the small detective had to admit she was a little disappointed by that. He had heard her, though. A large hand enveloped hers, deep brown eyes turning to meet her worried ones.

For a second, which felt to her like an eternity, Bobby held her gaze, seeming to be looking for something. Whatever it was, he seeked to find it buried within her lighter eyes. Then, he smiled that disarmingly charming smile, the one he used to appease nervous, uncooperative witnesses, and pushed his chair back.

"Sorry… I was spaced out. We got something?" She nodded weakly, her now empty hand falling limply to her side. A chill rose up her spine and Alex held back a shudder.

_What was that?_

"Captain was calling us over…" Bobby proceeded to Deakins' office, without pause; no acknowledgement to their previous stance.

Eames, realizing her own delayed response, shock her head promptly from left to right a couple of times, eyes closed, and straightened her back. Then she followed after her partner.

Captain Jimmy Deakins slipped her a piece of paper with an address scribbled down, as soon as she entered his domain. Breathing in deeply, he fixed both his detectives with a serious stare.

"We've got another two." Bobby nodded, clearly already expecting something like the sort. Alex sighed. "The press is already there and I got a call from the Chief of D's, so I don't have to remind you to behave and solve this quickly, but I will anyway. Okay?"

They left the glass office, grabbed their coats and made for the elevator.

--

**Central Park**

**Date and time**

Creating a path for one's self in a sea of screaming, overcrowding and pushy reporters was never a pleasant experience. Microphones were continuously shoved in his face, lights attached to eager cameras flashed on his eyes and the only sound available was the indiscernible noise of too many voices speaking at once.

When presented with this, sometimes inevitable, kind of situation, Bobby focused on two things: keeping his eyes focused in the distance and Alex. The latter, he usually didn't have to worry about; she was never more than a step behind him, always making good use of the path his much larger frame left in its wake.

Suddenly, Detective Goren stopped in his tracks and did a 180 degrees turn; he had immediately sensed her absence at his back. A young, blond, cocky and possibly suicidal reporter had stepped in between Alex and Bobby, his tall stature overcrowding the petite detective. He was firing questions relentlessly at her, not seeming to notice the annoyance painting his target's face or his very precarious position in regards to said detective's partner.

Bobby ignored all others around him and inched closer to the eager man. He was being careful not to touch the reporter, but there would be no denying his presence for long. Alex, on the other hand, relaxed her features and crossed her arms over her chest. She uttered no word. The amused woman had seen her partner take his overprotective stance and decide to halt any response she had planned for the annoying man before her.

Under normal circumstances, Eames would have been annoyed. This time, though, she was actually looking forward to see what sort of 'alpha male protecting his territory' display Bobby would engage in. The smirk that had grown on her lips must have shown, because the reporter stopped talking.

It certainly hadn't been the reaction he had been hoping for when the idea to intercept the smaller of the two detectives graced his mind.

His senses suddenly flared.

Bobby could tell, just by looking at the man's slouched back, the moment the weasel had followed Eames' line of sight; his spine straightened up in anticipation. The reporter had finally realized that his rear had been left completely unprotected.

The world slowed to a halt.

Turning his head to the right, body still tensed, the tall man took in Goren's taller frame, looming. It was hard to miss the detective's menacing aura. Conscious of his inferiority in a match between himself and Goren, the reporter shrunk sideways and smiled weakly.

"Detective" he nodded apologetically. "Any comments?"

Bobby smiled innocently. Only after Alex sidestepped their surrounding audience and came to stand at his side, did he respond.

"Not yet…" no more was said.

Bobby turned back around and continued onto his previous path, his partner following silently in his wake. She was still sporting a smirk. The reporters who had noticed the interplay didn't bat an eye and continued shouting out questions that would, for the moment, remain unanswered.

The world resumed, unchanged.

A pair of sad, yet calculating blue eyes, though, fixed themselves on the perfectly mismatched pair of detectives and followed intently their progress towards the yellow police tape, which cordoned off the crime scene. It saw the way they separated ways without exchanging words in flawless synchrony. It watched, fascinated, as the graying man examined the loving couple in their eternal rest. Even from a distance, it could see that the tall man took quick notice of the nuances most people never took the time to grasp.

_Pose…_

_Smell…_

_Perfectly applied make-up…_

_Jack's worried face, even in death…_

_Hi__s arm around Mel's smaller frame, protective…_

_Mel's head resting trustingly on her companion's shoulder…_

_And the single red rose petal, almost being blown away by the wind, as it rested at their feet…_

Light cerulean blue followed the detective's every move as the man placed the petal on a transparent plastic bag and handed the newly acquired piece of evidence to one of the crime lab technicians standing nearby. The eyes sparkled, attention never wavering.

The pale skin surrounding the blue iris crinkled in joy; a smile.

Seamlessly, like they parted, the strong man and the petite woman came to stand together once more, always under the watchful blue gaze. The proximity of their bodies and the unspoken words exchanged called out to their observer. It watched, satisfied, as the woman strained up and the man bend low; a perfect compromise.

Every picture told a story and this particular one, clearly on display, shouted a thousand different words to anyone willing to properly listen. And someone was taking great delight in the wonderful, harmonious symphony this picture portrayed.

When they left, these curious eyes and the tired body that carried them, there was a sliver of hope shinning in their blue background. And it had been such a long time since hope has been able to reach them…

Alex and Bobby, for their part, already crowded by one too many reporters, finished their work at the scene without ever suspecting the intense scrutiny they had been under since their arrival. With clues gathered, bodies being wheeled away by the Coroner's office and witnesses already interviewed, they left.

New crime scenes brought with them new possibilities, unfortunately, and these two cops wished that Jack Andrews and Melinda Koji would bring the authorities that much closer to finding the monster responsible for their untimely departures.

Their eagerness to look into the abysm made Goren and Eames good cops.

But light never walked a one way path…

And the lines between hunter and prey blurred a little bit more.

* * *

Uh-oh... am I serious? Well, yes... REVIEW!


	8. A path of rose petals

**DISCLAIMER**: in the first chapter...

**A/N**: Hello reviewers!! Some of you have mentioned that you already figured out where this is going. And you are probably right, I just wish the ride to be worth it. Keep reviewing!

* * *

**HEARTS UNDEFINED**

**by bloodymary2**

CHAPTER 8: A path of rose petals…

"Nothing." Alex sighed, clearly defeated.

"No connections, no witnesses, no clues?" Deakins stood by his detective's joint desks with his arms crossed over his chest. His face was drawn; the circles under his eyes a testament of the toll the case was having on his sleep pattern.

Goren, bend over his desk almost awkwardly, had several pictures spread over his desk and was slowly examining each with a big magnifying glass. Suddenly, he straightened out, catching Eames' gaze. Curious by the glint of discovery shinning in his dark brown eyes, she rose and came to stand at his shoulder.

"There…" he pointed.

Leaning over, she traced the picture her partner held. With her index finger, she finally pointed at a specific point and turned slightly. Their eyes met, neither detective really noticing their close proximity. Major Case's Captain, however, would have to be blind to have missed it.

Bobby nodded, but said nothing.

"On all three?" Another nod confirmed Alex's question.

"And the analysis of the one you found at the last crime scene?" She brought her right hand to push her bangs aside, while Bobby searched his desk for the report he needed.

"A partial, no matches on the system. Nothing extraordinary about the species, either."

"What have you got?" Deakins had enough of being out of the loop.

"On all three crime scenes, there was a single red rose petal near the bodies. It wasn't collected in the previous scenes." Their boss nodded.

"If it doesn't bring any new evidence, why is it important?" Goren started collecting pictures and shoveling papers inside his portfolio. He then rose from his sitting position and turned to face Deakins.

"It is, in itself, a clue. It was left there on purpose"

"A message…" Alex added. Bobby tilted his head, assenting.

"We need to do a little bit of research." Goren put on his overcoat and fetched his partner's from the hook that stood close to their desks. Alex didn't protest, only grinned.

"Isn't your library card tired, Bobby?" Sheepish, he scratched the back of his neck and threw a half smile in her direction.

"No such thing, Eames."

As the pair left the bullpen, their steps in sync, Jimmy made sure they heard his request to be kept updated.

RESEARCH RED ROSES…

A couple of hours in the library, a little research in the internet, a few boxes of Chinese food and the partners found themselves no closer to solving the mystery the single petal presented. Its meaning could be the more obvious one. It could be something else entirely too. There was little evidence at this point to discard any possibility.

The clock at the far wall and the almost empty bullpen attested to the late hour.

Alex sighed.

Stretching, she closed the folder she had been going over a few minutes before. Bobby gave no signs that he had noticed her closing up for the day; he was still bent over a couple of thick books he had brought with him from their earlier trip.

And, for a second or two, the blond woman allowed herself the luxury of simply watching him work. The way his long fingers perused the page, the slight tilt of his head, his broad shoulder…

She bit her lower lip and shook her head slightly.

_Time to get some sleep._

Alex pushed her pinkish chair back, walked around the desk and placed her small hand over Bobby's, preventing him from turning another page. Confused by her interruption, he glanced up. She offered him a tired smile, the kind that only curved the lips a bit.

"That's it for today. Let's get some sleep, okay?" Bobby leaned back in his chair and studied her face for a moment.

"You go ahead. I'll just… be a bit longer." Even before he had completely finished dismissing her, Alex was already shaking her head.

"No. You gave your best. We gave our best. I'm not letting you overwork yourself." Eames grabbed his hand in hers and pulled back, bring his arm with her. The rest of his much heavier body didn't budge.

"But…" Any further protest that might have left his lips was abandoned, though, when he caught the determined look on her face. No sense arguing, really. "Okay."

Quickly, they put some order to the mayhem that had overtaken their desks since this case had been pushed their way and grabbed their coats. Slowly and without much word, they made for the elevator.

Once they were both inside, alone, the doors already closed, Bobby reached for her hand. Alex was startled, but didn't pull away. The tall man only held it for a moment infinitively small, either way. He squeezed it gently and dropped it, never looking her way. Alex, her head turned to him, caught the ghost of a smile on the corner of his lips.

"Thank you." The whisper was extremely quiet and she was sure no one would have been able to hear it, had there been anyone else around.

"For what?"

_Small shrug… _

"Just…" Bobby twisted his upper body sideways, head bend and met her questioning gaze. "Thank you."

_For being you._

Alex wanted him to explain it, but the elevator dinged, its doors sliding open and the opportunity was gone. Bobby exited first and turned back, placing his arm on the doors so they wouldn't close in on her.

No other words were exchanged and the moment in the elevator was put on indefinite hold.


	9. Playing with fire might get you burned

**DISCLAIMER:** in the first chapter...

This is dedicated to my sole reviewer LOCISVU. Thank you for dropping me a note!

* * *

**HEARTS UNDEFINED**

**by bloodymary2**

CHAPTER 9: Playing with fire might get you burned…

Deep red on every petal, as they lay arranged in never ending circles of pure perfection, glistened with small drops of mildew. The flower, no flaws visible, was in full bloom and was held up simply by a tall and narrow vase filled only with an ounce of water. It presented quite a striking picture, especially, if you considered the dulled colors of its surroundings. Yes, the vibrant rose stood out clearly among the grey and blue suits crowding the room.

No surprise then really that it was the first thing that caught Eames and Goren's attention when they came strolling into the bullpen right after their lunch break. They exchanged glances; brows furrowed and approached the gift which had been left on top of their joint desks.

"You don't think…" Before she could formulate the question properly, Alex caught her partner's small shrug.

_One way to find out._

Latex gloves, a must wherever they went, were quickly retrieved from the petite woman's jacket. A weak snap could be heard as the latex molded to the creamy color of her hand. From the arrangement, Alex pulled a white card, no markings, and opened it.

Bobby hung up his phone, having already spoken with the crime lab about sending someone up to collect this new piece of evidence. He leaned over his partner's shoulders and read, in a low voice close to her ear, the words neatly printed in the card.

"The fire which enlightens is the same fire which consumes." Alex felt him shift behind her and the hot breath on the back of her neck allowed her to know that he was nodding slowly his head. "Henri Frederic Amiel."

Up came the arms and the hand that tapped slightly against his pursed lips. She knew that stance and spoke nothing. It didn't particularly surprise this veteran detective that Goren would know the quotation and Alex was content to wait.

A technician from the crime lab approached them and, with only a curious frown towards the tall detective pacing almost in circles, turned to Eames. She motioned the long haired Asian man to the rose and placed the card she had been holding inside a plastic bag clearly marked as evidence. He gathered it all efficiently and shot a friendly smile her way before retreating to the lab.

Goren halted his pacing.

"So?" Eames raised an eyebrow.

"He's sending us a message… But- " he paused. "Why us?" he gestured widely and then sighed, dropping his weight onto his chair. "Why not the other investigators who… had the case before…uh… Why us, why now?" Again he frowned, leaning his body backwards and tilting the chair dangerously back.

Alex focused on his hand against his mouth as he lost himself once again in thought. She considered his words and her own thoughts on the matter, while maneuvering herself around to her desk.

She sat down and reached for the phone.

Someone had to check how that delivery had been made to the eleventh floor of One Police Plaza and where it might have come from while Goren pondered the minutia of this killer's inner workings.

--

_Nothing…_

It was becoming clear that this case led to a whole lot of nothing.

Once more, Eames and Goren faced their Captain, this time in his office, with nothing new to add to the already short list of facts they had before.

The rose had been delivered by a Ronald Elkhart, delivery boy to a florist near One PP, who did not remember the face of the man, or woman, who had ordered the flower. It was paid by cash. The note presented no prints of any kind and the vase showed only one set of fingerprints… Ronald's.

Dead end…

And the rose in itself? A message that had yet to fit into the greater picture.

"He knew we had found the rose petal at the scene…" Goren was sitting in the chair by the door; a clear view of the rest of the office. If he had been looking, that is. Currently his eyes were fixed on the pages and photographs crowding his portfolio, a deep frown on his brow.

"Makes sense." Alex nodded, her seat near the window allowing her to see both Deakins and Goren. "Is he congratulating us on a job well done?" She sighed. "Cause, if he is, I'd rather he turn himself in along with the rose."

"The rose **is** an acknowledgment." Bobby's gaze lingered on a picture from the first couple murdered. "But the note…" He looked up and Alex caught subtle traces of fear lingering in his deep brown eyes. "The note is… huh… a warning."

"For the police to stay away? Is he serious?" Deakins joined the conversation, his voice both amused and annoyed.

"No…" Bobby shook his head and avoided his partner's frown. "A warning to me and Eames." He breathed in. "To us… specifically."

It didn't take a genius to see that the captain didn't particularly like the way this was heading. A personal message to one, or two in this case, of his detectives from a serial murderer failed to put the seasoned cop at ease. Pushing his body forward, Deakins rose from his chair and circled his paper filled desk.

Arms were crossed and jaw was set.

"Why?"

"We fit the profile." Bobby hesitated to elaborate.

"So this crazy SOB is targeting you?" Deakins didn't miss the worried look in Goren's expressive eyes.

"No." The answer, though, didn't come from the detective he had been questioning, but Jimmy wouldn't be complaining as long as someone answered his concerns. Alex rose as well. "None of the other victims received any kind of warning."

Goren nodded, closing his case.

Maybe he was jumping to conclusions.

The fire which enlightens is the same fire which consumes.

"He wants us to understand his motivations." He rose and came to stand by his partner. "Something about me and Eames caught his attention… Which means…"

"He saw us at the crime scene."

"Yeah."

"Look through the photos the CSU took and if needed, borrow some footage from some of those bloodhounds that were circling you when you got there." Deakins went back to his desk and turned his attention to the ever growing pile of paperwork he had to complete.

Needing no further incentive to leave, Bobby and Alex quickly gathered their belongings and left.

The pictures yielded no one suspicious, but the footage, kindly borrowed from a helpful news station, proved to be just what they needed. Together, Alex and Bobby had gone over a couple of hours of film. Amused, they watched their little run in with that young reporter. Preoccupied, they also noticed the older man following their every move.

Dark hair, graying at the temples; blue eyes, calculating in their attention; distinguished looks, only accentuated by the dark suit and blue tie; bright smile of satisfaction, around the same time Goren had collected the rose petal.

Alone in the conference room, they had, once more, commandeered for the afternoon, Alex and Bobby sat side by side, their faces illuminated by the television set. Frowns marred both their features, while they avoided each other's gaze.

Bobby pressed the rewind button and paused the video, capturing their suspect's face seconds before he had turned to leave. The detective scrubbed his face with his left hand, sighing deeply. From the corner of his eyes, he saw Alex rise from her chair and turn her back.

They needn't discuss this to know what had to be done. Deakins had to be notified.

He got up as well and headed for the door. For a moment he hesitated, turning to face his partner. Sensing his eyes on her, Alex mirrored his move. Eyes locked, held. She forced out a smile and he nodded.

They were okay.

Goren left.

And Alex, worry slipping away to be replaced by anger, glared at the screen and those cold blue eyes. Her back straightened and her lips pursed. If this psycho wanted to play with Bobby and her, they would be ready for him.

"You'll lose…"

Then she was out the door.

* * *

C'mom people, don't let lazyness control you; control it!! And press that little bluish bottom to your left. Please?


	10. Confirming suspicion

**DISCLAIMER:** in the first chapter...

**A/N:** Thank you to all who reviewed and to those who've read but didn't. And remember, don't fight the pull from that bluish purple bottom... it's calling you!

* * *

**HEARTS UNDEFINED**

**by bloodymary2**

CHAPTER 10: Confirming suspicion…

Deakins first reaction was to pull them from the case.

Both of his detectives argued against it. After all, if the killer had his sights set on the pair, removing them from the investigation wouldn't achieve anything. It had taken some time, but the captain had finally conceded. He wasn't happy about it, though.

Jimmy had left it perfectly clear that they would be assigned protective details should he find it necessary. Knowing when to bow down, Alex and Bobby had both agreed to their boss' condition and went back to work.

Armed with a photo of their suspect, the best frame the computer techs had been able to obtain from the crime scene footage, Goren and Eames reinterviewed all witnesses and coworkers.

No one remembered seeing that man.

They revisited the florist responsible for their mysterious rose. Ronald, the delivery boy, had recognized the man, but was unable to add much that would help the detectives. The suspect had spoken little; there was nothing strange about his behavior and no indication of his profession by his appearance alone.

With no other options, the brass had decided to release the man's picture to the media, hoping to appeal to the population's good will. After that, it was sit and wait for the phones to start ringing.

_And ring they did._

Two days glued to the phone, though, brought by nothing but empty clues that led to nowhere. Captain Deakins and Detectives Goren and Eames were reconsidering the move when another present arrived at One PP's eleventh floor.

_No prints…_

_No indication to their suspect's identity…_

Nothing but a bunch of pictures.

Of Alex and Bobby…

"Okay… I'm listening. What is your take on this?" Captain Jimmy Deakins stood facing both his detectives. His back was straight, arms crossed and his frown in place. There was anger simmering just beneath the surface of his composed façade and Goren could see that their boss was done with waiting.

Said detective squirmed a little on his seat and cast a glance Eames' way.

She ignored him.

Actually, she had been aloof since they had received the single rose almost two weeks prior and he was having a hard time reading her. Superficially, she didn't seem particularly affected by all this mess, but her altered behavior indicated otherwise. What, exactly, had gotten to her, was something Goren didn't even dream of guessing.

_Reading her had never been as easy as reading the rest of the world._

He turned back to face Deakins.

"It's personal." The captain's frown deepened. Seeing this, Bobby shook his head lightly. "No… Not personal for Alex and me, but for him."

He pulled three pictures from his brown portfolio and showed them, side by side, to the other occupants of the office.

"With these killings… He wasn't trying to send a message or, or a warning. To him, it was personal. He is recreating a moment in his life that he considers of the utmost importance." He put the other pictures away and took a closer look to the one portraying the last couple found.

"The way he took time to position the bodies." He passed then the picture to Alex. "The way Jack is holding Melinda… He's…hum… protecting her. And she is letting him."

"He wanted that?" His partner had finally turned to face him.

"He chose strong people." Bobby met her gaze. "Lawyers, cops, doctors… Their careers were important to them. Any… Any kind of - relationship between these people would have been secondary in their lives."

"He disapproves that?" Deakins uncrossed his arms and leaned forward. Neither detective turned his way, though. Their eyes still held contact.

"No. He was probably one of those people… Until he met someone he… he thought he could share his life with." Bobby averted his gaze. His left hand continued to gesture, almost like it possessed a life of its own. "He wanted to believe it was possible to balance the two."

"Romance and career?" Something had shone in her partner's eyes before he had chosen to turn away. Alex wasn't sure she was supposed to have seen it; his understanding.

"Yeah." He nodded.

"But it didn't work…"

"Probably not." He sighed. "I think he's a lawyer; hence the first victims. He watched them a long time before acting." Goren leafed through some of his notes. "He was trying to determine if they had been really together."

_Yeah, a lawyer…_

Probably not anymore.

"He thought they were or was he… I don't know, disappointed that they weren't?" After so long working together, Eames found that following his trail of thought came naturally for her. Reading his posture, on the other hand, proved to be harder; she had yet to stop her intense analysis of her taller companion's far away look.

"They weren't together. If we could figure it out, so could the killer." He paused for a long minute before twisting his upper body completely to the left, so that Alex could fall to the center of his line of sight. "Suddenly he was reliving that devastating moment in his life…"

"He snapped."

Bobby consented.

"The torture was his twisted way of trying to make them see his point."

"Dangerous situations bring people closer together." A sad smile flourished upon his lips.

"The placing of the bodies afterwards is, to him, the way to allow them to be united in death, the way they never managed to do in life."

"And the rose?" Deakins' voice broke through the cocoon they had been submerged in until then. Alex and Bobby's heads snapped in his direction, recognizing in their boss' stare, incredulity.

"It symbolizes the love that the killer believed existed between them."

"Yes, that is good to know and all, if it's in fact what happened, but why contact you when he didn't with the others? Why the rose and the pictures of you two working together?" The fair headed man leaned his frame against his oak desk.

The tall detective shrugged.

"If he is trying to make us understand…" _Uncertainty, speculation_. Alex allowed her head to fall forward, blond hair obscuring part of her face. Still, Bobby could see her biting her lower lip, deep in thought.

"It is because he believes we could be in a position to understand. Better than anyone he has met until now." He paused, lowered his own head twisted some papers with his left hand.

There was a moment of silence.

"He thinks we are a couple…" Bobby's voice was low, almost a whisper

.

Two pairs of eyes snapped up to meet his in surprise, having clearly heard his statement, despite the volume with which it was spoken.

"Why?"

"Are you?"

While the small woman had a confused look etched on her delicate features, the captain had a hard look of disapproval on his. His jaw was clenched and his arms, once again, crossed. Seeing the lack of response from Goren, who had his body still twisted sideways and the honest confusion from Eames, Deakins relaxed a little.

"How do we flush him out?" The subject had been discarded, not to be mentioned again. Not yet anyway.

"We make him see we are not…"

Alex gave him a small nod, agreeing with his decision.

"No way." Deakins shook his head in the negative. "Are you two actually considering this through?" Their determined looks were answer enough. "You are going to invite a killer to come after you… A delusional man, who has tortured and killed six other people?"

"We know how he looks like…" Alex's words didn't falter.

"We have a pretty good idea of how he will strike..." Bobby closed his portfolio. "And we have to get him before some other couple catches his attention the wrong way.

Again, she nodded, backing her partner up completely.

Deakins only sighed.

He didn't seem to win any arguments against these two.

"Okay. But we do this the right way. That means surveillance, back up and some way to keep you both 100 safe." He had returned to his seat by the time he finished and, giving a final 'no-arguments-allowed' look, he added. "Are we understood?"

_Yes, sir._


	11. Putting on a show

**DISCLAIMER:** in the first chapter...

**A/N:** Sorry about the delay. I had fun writing this and I hope you guys have fun reading it. A lighter tone before we darken up a bit. REVIEW!!

* * *

**HEARTS UNDEFINED**

**by bloodymary2**

CHAPTER 11: Putting on a show…

Without knowing with complete certainty when their admirer would be watching and exactly how one went around proving the non-existence of a relationship, Goren and Eames had come to the conclusion that the best course of action would be to stage a fight. Taking into account the pictures and that the killer's focus seemed to be towards their jobs, they decided upon a repartee right outside One Police Plaza.

On the bright side, the brass would be notified in advance and they wouldn't get into trouble for disrupting the workplace. The gossip mill, on the other hand, would be handed a very juicy show and heaven only knew what they would make of it.

Alex and Bobby pushed these fears aside, though.

_They had a job to do._

A couple of days after the pictures had been delivered, the two detectives left together for lunch. Nothing abnormal about that. Passed an hour of fraying nerves and refinement of the script they had written together for such occasion, they returned to One PP. A few steps before reaching the entrance, close to the pillars adorning the building, Alex stopped dead on her tracks.

Bobby continued on, seemingly oblivious, and only seemed to notice her absence when he went to open the glass door for his partner. Turning around, he caught her petite frame still standing motionless a few feet back.

"Eames?" his voice was calm and carried its normal tone, despite the curiosity laced with his words.

All the response he got, though, was the furrowing of her brow.

He approached her slowly, with almost caution in his steps. Reaching his right hand up, he motioned as if to touch her, his big frame bend awkwardly to the left, trying to catch her gaze.

"Don't touch me…" Though the warning was spoken through clenched teeth and could not be categorized as more than a harsh whisper, some people walking by turned to look her way.

"Come on, Eames… not now!" again, he tried to reach for her arm, this time, it became obvious his apparent impatience.

"Yes, now!" louder this time, Alex attracted even more curious stares. "I am tired of waiting for you to be ready to talk! I am sick and tired of having to cover your back! I am not a fucking sidekick…"

"Alex? I never said that! I know you're not…"

"Than stop treating me like it!!" All pretenses of control, and privacy, fled the conversation.

It was a full blown fight.

Bobby, returning to his 6'3 height, stepped closer to Alex, towering her much smaller frame. Instead of being intimidated, like almost everyone was when he pulled that move, his partner only seemed to be angered further.

She shoved him away and hit his chest, causing the well dressed man to stumble backwards. He caught himself before falling.

"What was that?" She hit him one more time. "I am not a stupid puppet you can manipulate whenever you feel like it!" When she went to hit him one more time, Bobby caught her by the wrists, bringing her body flush against his and forced her to strain on her tiptoes in a valiant attempt not to fall.

"In case you haven't noticed, I am much taller than you. You won't push me around." His voice was low and incredibly menacing. However, her only reaction was to smile. Not a normal, happy smile. Her upturning of the lips turned out to be more of a sneer, than anything else.

"What are you going to do, Bobby?" She leaned into him, bringing her face as close to his as she could, while she taunted him. "Hit me?"

_He didn't._

He shoved her away, instead; his scrunched up, still angry face deflating a bit. Bobby stepped back and looked around, as if he had just noticed their surrounding. A crowd had gathered to watch, not the least bit caring that they were being nosy and some people seemed to have been ready to intervene, had he actually tried to hit her.

Giving a snort of disgust, he turned away from Alex and stomped off towards the building, shooting menacing glares to anyone who dared to stand in his way.

"We're done, Goren. Done!!" With one last huff, she also turned away and stalked off in the opposite direction. Her eyes were brimming with tears and a few, having escaped, adorned her rose flushed cheeks.

Head held high, she ignored the pity looks and continued on her way.

Alex had to actually restrain the satisfaction from coming to the surface; her inner self was already doing a victory dance… silently, of course.

_Mission accomplished._

_In keeping up with their act, Goren stormed into the bullpen of One Police Plaza's eleventh floor. His coat soon flew towards his chair and, as if lost in a haze, his body followed, dropping onto the sturdy furniture, which creaked heavily under such an unexpected weight._

_He sighed._

_With his hands buried in his hands and thus, hidden from view, he allowed himself a small smile and took the time to review their performance._

_Flawless._

_Soon, Eames would be returning and they would proceed to ignore each other until Deakins bellowed their names and demanded their presence in his office. Even if the latter wasn't part of the script, the way gossip traveled among the force would have surely made it so._

_Until then all he had to do was act defeated and lost._

_Easy._

_The loud click of the door behind them was the second sign. Deakins set jaw and red face__ as he had called them had been the first and the closing of the blinds harshly, shutting the rest of the bullpen from view, closed the act perfectly._

_Finally alone, Alex and Bobby allowed their stances to relax and traded, with each other, identical happy grins. They had always liked to role play; it had evolved into a fun game to see who could outdone the other._

_Sigh._

_The heavy sound behind them drew the detective's attention._

_"Did you have to be so good at this?" The twinkling in his eyes, clear amusement, betrayed the reprimand within his words and the pair only shrugged._

_"We wanted to make sure we got this guy's attention."_

_"Yeah, but… did you have to hit me so hard?" As he spoke, Bobby rubbed his chest, a 'pity-me' look accompanying his pouting lips._

_"Are you accusing me of getting to__o rough? I almost lost my balance when you howled me up." A playful smirk followed the quip. Alex knew that the move had been calculated not to hurt her._

_"Well… I wish I had been there to see it." Deakins returned to his seat, an unbelieving smile gracing his face. "Gossip has already reached the higher ranks. The way people are talking about this, it must have been quite a show."_

_A somber look replaced the mirth upon the Captain's time worn face._

_"I have already coordinated the surveillance." He received nods in return. "I just hope we don't live to regret this."_

_"This is the best way to draw him out… At least now, we are calling the shots." Alex crossed her arms and looked her partner's way._

_He nodded in agreement._

_"Better like this… then being caught unawares."_

_Jimmy's head went up and down, obviously seeing the reason behind all this, but still having his doubts about riling up a man they already knew had a few screws missing. _

_"Put up an act of having been properly chewed, please, and then go home. Let's hope we don't have to wait too long."_

_As one, Alex and Bobby moved towards the door. She went first, practically yanking the door off its hinges. He followed; long strides bringing him to her side quickly. The taller detective grabbed her arm, forcing her to face him. But, before he could speak, Alex yanked her arm away and went to gather her things._

_On her way out, he attempted to block her path; eyes pleading._

_"Let's talk about this, Eames…Ple- please?" She threw a dirty glare his way and left, no more words being exchanged._

_Bobby put in an extra effort to look forlorn. Hands in his pockets, head down and back slouched, he slowly gathered his own possessions and made for the elevator._

_Now, it was just a matter of waiting._

_Their suspect would do the rest._


	12. Disillusion…

**DISCLAIMER:** in the first chapter...

**A/N:** Delay due to a need this chap had to be revised and a bad hangover I was nursing. Sorry. Thank you to all who reviewed. I love that fight scene too and all the undercover BA ones out there!

**HEARTS UNDEFINED**

**by bloodymary2**

CHAPTER 12: Disillusion…

_No…_

_It couldn't be…_

The clear, crystal glass, flew out of the man's hand, coming to shatter against the wall a few feet away. Desperate blue followed the progress of the shards as they slowly fell, littering the dark hardwood floor; irreparable.

_No…_

In his mind's eye, the man could see that dreadful day replaying itself over and over again, breaking his heart in the same manner the glass now stood in pieces. Overwhelmed by the power of his recollections and unable to stop their flow, he felt his body quiver. Loosing all strength, he allowed it to fall against the nearest wall. Slowly, the weight of his tired limbs pulled him down, until he could sink no further.

_I'm not ready for this, Andy…_

Her face, still so clear in his memory, had shown sadness and resolution and no amount of pleading, begging and crying had made his beloved Anna change her mind. Her voice had stayed firm, without any traces of the deep emotions which had threatened to consume him. Sobs broke through.

_The work…_

_It's too important, Andy…_

_I can't… We can't sacrifice it for something we both know is not going to work out…_

He had wanted to argue with her, wanted to make her see that he would gladly make any sacrifices necessary for them. She couldn't sabotage the future based on unfounded insecurities! Anna had simply shaken her head in the negative, unwilling to consider any other alternative than the one she had presented.

_I don't want you to do that, Andy…_

_It's not worth it…_

He had stopped arguing after that; deflated. If she hadn't considered them worth all sacrifices, then nothing he had attempted to do or say could have ever possibly changed her mind. She had always been stubborn, his Anna, and he had realized, in that moment, with a terrifying clarity, that any arguments he could have put forth would have been squashed quickly and effectively… Her reason constantly trumping his passion.

Anna had always been the best lawyer he had ever met.

So, he had stood, broken and powerless, as she had left, never once looking back at the shell of a man she had been leaving behind. He hadn't followed her; had given up, and his anguished figure had remanined on the floor, where it had fallen, until darkness had claimed the light and then surrendered it back to the world.

Nothing had mattered after that.

Until that day, that snowy day, not a year after his emotional demise, when her name had caught his attention on the evening news. There had been an accident, an icy patch and she hadn't been able to control the car. As the camera had swept over the scene, revealing the mangled metal and shattered glass, Andy had known absolute regret.

He should have followed her.

Should have tried his very best to make her see reason.

_Never again..._

Catherine and Paul had been the first. He could still remember seeing them together at the courthouse; so close, yet apart. He had seen in Paul's eyes the longing he himself had worn. He had seen in the easy, but controlled stance between them, his own past. First, Andy had seeked them out everytime he visited the omnious building, innocently searching for the signs of their involvenmet. Soon, however, he had grown frustrated with their neverending dance around each other.

He had decided to intervene.

So no one would ever feel the way he had felt that horrible day.

Without properly planning it through, the tired man had simply brought them to his home. They had struggled, as had been expected, and Andy had been forced to restrain them. Things had gone down hill from there. In his eagerness to make the pair see reason, his reason, they had gotten hurt.

_Too hurt..._

Paul's heart hadn't withstood the pain. Afterwards, Catherine's heart hadn't wanted to go on. The little water and food Andy had made sure to provide were left ignored. Her battered body, without nurishment, had finished the job.

Andy had stared at the bodies, bruised and battered, hanging face to face. There was a certain serenity to the scene and he found himself almost afraid to touch them. And, as his silent tears had wet his weathered face and burned his cheeks, he had decided to unite them in death in the way he had tried to do when they had still breathed.

The cleaning and dressing and staging had come – strangely - naturally. Like a photograph, the scene had molded itself into the ending he had always longed for with Anna. The ending Cath and Paul had both deserved.

_Together._

That had brought him peace.

It just hadn't lasted long. The yearning within him had come back even stronger. After all, there had still been others out there who suffered his plight. Trapped in routine; never getting anywhere. Those, who seeked that single moment of perfection and who needed help.. And, he hadn't been about to stand back and watch all of it iddly by.

_Never again..._

No matter the outcome, his intentions had been good, his plan wholesome. Still, Andy continued to come up short. The other attempts, failure as they had turned out to be, had come easily. Andy hadn't even the need to seek them; strained postured couples just caught his attention, silently pleasing.

Until them.

Such harmonious and mismatched pair, he hadn't been able to look away. It had been the first time hope had managed to breech his inner walls, allowing him to believe someone had succeeded.

_Illusion._

Nothing could have prevented the stabbing in his heart when faced with that horrible fight. Vicious words and physical violence had almost prompted him forward to intervene. Never would Andy have dared raise his hand against Anna!

Anger.

Any snapped.

Fists clenched, brow furrowed. Andy was through being nice. He wasn't even interested in reconciling the pair. No. They deserved to die for the carelessness with which they had thrown away the only thing Andy had ever coveted. A happy ending.

Robert Goren and Alexandra Eames would regret ever taking such a brainless decision.

_Yes…_

They would pay.


	13. Strike one

**DISCLAIMER:** in the first chapter...

**A/N: **Can you guess where I'm going with this? Thank you to my reviewers and I hoope the suspence keeps killing you... That's where the fun is!

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**HEARTS UNDEFINED**

**by bloodymary2**

CHAPTER 13: Strike one… 

_Bait._

No other word to describe the way they had chosen to dangle themselves in the hopes of catching the perp's attention. Worse; the uncertainty of success. The detectives had taken a chance with the staged fight, but the truth was that they had no way of knowing if it had been watched, much less if it had the desired effect.

So, they waited.

With the need to be careful to maintain their distance, less they betrayed themselves, it took all of two days for Robert Goren to become angstsy. Nights prolonged, every noise reason to jump, insecurities growing. Two days and Bobby started to question himself. Had it been the right move? He was certain that their scene would cause a reaction; he just wasn't sure what it would be.

_Creak..._

Bobby glanced up.

He held the control on his right hand, while sitting on the couch... in the dark. The TV had long since been turned off and the man lost in thought. The sound, though, startled him greatly.

Quietly, the remote was placed atop the glass table, right next to the gleaming semi-automatic. Bobby covered the butt of the gun with his large hand and brought it closer to himself. A bit comforted by the added protection, the detective finally rose. With swiftness one would never expect from a man as bulky as him, the detective checked every shadow covered room.

_No one._

Still, the sense of foreboding did not retract. On the contrary, it grew; dread pooling at the pit of his stomach. Something wasn't quite right. Sparing little thought as to why, Bobby grabbed his cell phone from the same coffee table he had retrieved his firearm from.

In a moment, all that filled the silence was the sound of his fingers rapidly moving over the numbers of the pad.

_Ring._

"Hello?"

His stomach, already low, dropped further.

Though Alex's voice was cool and composed, it lacked the personality she usually imprinted upon her every word. Hello? Eames would never answer the phone so calmly at 2 in the morning; she would have been pissed to have been woken up. Not only that, she always checked the caller ID. She knew it was him calling and all she had to offer was a 'hello'?

"Alex?" all his mind remained focused on the sound of her breathing and the tone of her voice. "Sorry to bother you so late."

"Bobby." Was that relief, dread? Bobby Goren couldn't quite place the way she half whispered his name. "Why did you call? Didn't I ask to be left alone?" Gone was the calm, in came the anger. Eames continued playing her part.

Still wasn't right.

"Alex..."

"No, Robert..." her harsh interruption halted midway. "Just, leave me alone." Goren could actually hear the tears in her voice, strained and... and scared.

She wasn't alone.

Before he could even part his lips to speak, the tone line echoed in his ear. Dread turned to panic. Already fully dressed and armed, Bobby needed only to rush to the door. The black cell phone was flipped open once more, his long legs never hesitating.

"The perp is at Eames' place. Have back up ready, but be careful." Pause; gulp. The absolutely horrible thought crossed his mind.

He wouldn't allow his work to be so easily dismissed.

Phone shut, fists clenched, legs increased their speed.

They were the next target.

Flashed of previous crimes assaulted his senses, making him queasy.

_No..._

No amount of preparing could make him behave rationally now; not when Alex's life hung on the line and he was so far away. The mad drive to BLACKBEACH went by in a blur of colors, Bobby would never quite remember. His mind was already at the white house; Alex all he could see.

The tires screeched as a heavy foot pressed the breaks and the tall man was out of the car before anyone could even register his presence. The house he couldn't tear his eyes away from, glowed with red and blue lights. The scene was already overcome with mayhem, a sure sign of the danger the situation was shrouded in.

The murderer knew of their presence.

Picking Deakins out of the crowd, Bobby went straight to his boss.

"What do we know?" Straighforward, no beating around the bush. Not when her life was at stake. Deep breath.

"I just got here myself. Back up tried to sneak into the house unnoticed, but the perp shot at the team and demanded they leave, less he killed Eames." Bobby shuddered, but did not interrupt. "That was ten minutes ago."

"Do we know where in the house they are? How is Eames is? What about…"

"We are bringing in infra red scanners to locate them in the house. Then we'll call."

Goren nodded, at the same time that his hands clenched into tight fists. His every instinct told him to rush in there, consequences be damned. His logical part though, told him to wait. There was no need to put Alex in more danger than she already was.

The scanners were brought.

A surprise; they couldn't find any warm bodies inside the house.

Bobby's heart tightened and threatened to stop.

In one second, he was running towards the house, gun in hand. The other detectives, Deakins…. Hell, the whole world was not even an afterthought in his focused brain. No, all he could see was Alex's face.

Like a madman, he tore through every room in the house, much more desperately than he had done earlier in his own home. A glass of water lay broken on the kitchen floor. The bedspreads lay in a tangle by the foot of the bed. A wireless phone lay abandoned on the living room floor.

Besides that… Nothing.

_There was no trace of her._

Detective Goren's fist made a beeline to the wall nearest him. If you asked anyone who had witnessed his outburst, many would tell you how utterly desperate he looked. Others would simply say he lost his mind.

Either way, he never looked quite like a madman until that single second before flesh and bones tore through the plaster like foam.

_Alex was gone._


	14. By surprise

**DISCLAIMER:** in the first chapter...

**A/N:** Sorry about last week, guys. Life interfeered. We are on the last few chapters and I'll try my best to keep the updates as they were. Thank you all to those who reviewed. You are all awome and brighten my whole week by leaving me a few words. Enjoy!

**

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**

HEARTS UNDEFINED

**by bloodymary2**

CHAPTER 14: By surprise.

_Fear._

A cold chill rose up her spine, putting all nerve endings on alert. No single thought jumped out at her, too many jumbled together, racing too fast to keep track. But the fear was like a cold presence she didn't have to acknowledge; it was just there.

They had planned for this.

They were unprepared. She had been unprepared.

Alex spent a long moment staring at a fixed point: the phone. It stood broken on the floor, crushed in a moment of rage, not by her, but by the man, whose looming presence behind her, she could not ignore. Even if she had wanted to; he was exerting strong pressure onto her already twisted arm.

_Dismay._

Sleep had been light, the tension of being bait for her to be properly relax. Any and all sounds made her eyes snap open. Alex had been sure she had never been so paranoid in all her life. And that had angered her immensely. A detective, for Heaven's sake! Then, a soft noise, hardily enough to catch her attention under normal circumstances, had prompted the detective to sit up. Paranoia or not, Alex refused to be caught off guard.

Gun in hand, she had soundlessly searched the house. Tensed up, she had been completely aware of her every move. A sharp tug at her ankle and the petit woman had toppled to the floor. The firearm had flown off, being swallowed in shadows. A quick look had revealed a thin cord stretched near the floor.

Swiftly, she had jumped to her feet. Unfortunately, it had already been too late. Strong hands pinning her arms, something cold touching her neck.

"Alexandra Eames…"

She had struggled in vain and soon her body had grown tired. Then the phone.

Without looking, she had known.

Flashes of photographs, deceivingly peaceful resting bodies, images of his face. Bobby. A whisper on her ear had urged for her to call the scorned lover to her side. Though refusing, Alex had been forced to answer the phone's incessant ringing. And hesitated. Gulped. Decided.

_Bobby didn't have to know._

The best laid plans usually found a way to fail. Her feebly structured, rash decision hadn't stood a chance. Not against her partner's sharp mind. Alex had heard it – the realization – in his questioning voice.

Blinding pain had shot up her arm as the murderer had twisted it in a rage. The phone had suffered far worse. Fast – too fast – the man had regained his composure, sounding even more menacing than before.

"you shouldn't have done that, Alexandra. Like you, Alexandra, Robert cannot be saved."

A tug brought her back to the present and the crushed phone lying on the floor. He was trying to pull her out to the back entrance of the house. And Alex knew she had to stall. Bobby would be coming with the cavalry soon.

"Why?"

The pulling stopped.

"Because you threw it away, Alexandra. Do you even realize what you've lost, Alexandra?"

"Threw what away?"

"Love."

Their stage fight had worked too well and for the first time since the beginning of their partnership, Alex cursed her and Bobby's ability to playact. How could this man be so delusional as to think her and Bobby? Didn't matter…

"It was just a fight."

Before the words left her lips completely, the man tugged at her arm again. Much stronger this time. A loud plop signaled the dislodging of her right shoulder. Alex swallowed a cry.

"Consequences, Alexandra. Our actions have consequences and your careless fight started the corrosion you won't be able to stop. It's lost, Alexandra."

"Those people you killed are lost too!"

"I set them free!!"

Another tug, a terrible pain. She wasn't able to stop the strangled cry from scaping her lips this time.

_He had lost his marbles!_

But Eames chose, wisely, to hold any barb from escaping her. Sarcasm could hardly help matters any at this point.

Another noise; back-up had arrived.

Using her as a shield, the man screamed for the officers to back away. They had no choice but to comply. A gun replaced the blade, so fast that it seemed, to Alex, like the blink of an eye.

Bang!

Bang!

Bang!

The shots rang too far away and the woman realized, in the odd moment of detachment, that she was losing touch with reality. Haphazardly, the man manhandled her from one side to the other, but she was beyond caring. Unconsciousness clutched at her fiercely, refusing to let go.

_Bobby!_

A last desperate cry.

Soon, though, all was darkness.


	15. Strike two

**DISCLAIMER:** in the first chapter...

**A/N:** Thank you all, lovely reviewers! More drama ahead... And, I should warn you; we're coming close to the end. Please let me know how you feel!

* * *

**HEARTS UNDEFINED**

**by bloodymary2**

CHAPTER 15: Strike two…

Light that graced the skies and illuminated the city during the day was already beginning to fade. There was no need to turn the lights on inside the apartment, though. New York City never went completely dark.

Strong hands covered the worn face that did not weep, nor moved, but remained so heartbroken that it had to be hidden. Grayish white hair stood to all sides in complete disarray and would have added an edge of insanity to the man, if he hadn't been so hunched. Weight so heavy, it bent the usually strong spine, could almost be seen above him. Noisy breaths permeated the otherwise quiet air.

_How had it all gone so wrong?_

The man allowed his hands to fall, revealing the worn face of a man no longer completely in touch with reality. Blue eyes roomed the tidy room with little to no enthusiasm, taking in all the small details that constituted a whole. Numerous books on various and eclectic subjects, a few photographs and very little personal objects.

Andrew O'Hara slowly came to his feet.

With a single sweep of the room he had decided to occupy as a last minute decision, Andy collected the three picture frames and returned to his seat on the couch. Much was said by the silent pictures and the people one chose to display to the world.

_An old, sepia colored photograph of a woman. Mother perhaps._

_Two men, dirty from head to toe, standing next to a beautiful, vintage corvette. Friend._

_A blonde woman, her head turned to the side; caught by surprise. Alexandra._

Andy discarded the first two and held the last one more closely, trying to see beyond the more obvious details. Barely without thought, his fingers tightened on the frame, as a frown appeared on his brow. In one swift movement, the frame flew off his hand, crashed against the wall and shattered.

Too much like Anna.

After the shattering noise, the silence.

_Time to end it all_.

Oppressing silence that Andy cultivated by slowing his breathing, watching his step and moving carefully to the bedroom connected to the living room by a short corridor. Though the living room had been half illuminated, his destination laid in darkness and swallowed him whole.

No sound broke the stillness until a key was inserted into the lock of the front door. The doorknob twisted and a muffled squeak announced the opening of the door. A deep sigh preceded the entrance of the apartment's owner.

A tall, single, NYPD detective.

--

Robert Goren was tired, defeated and mad with worry. But, it only took him 2 seconds, after opening the door, before he reached for his gun. That brief period was enough to see the frame shattered near the door. And for panic to set in. Trembling and tense, yet focused, Bobby stepped into the apartment, leaving the door open behind him.

Sure, and long, steps brought him to the bedroom; he hesitated on the threshold. Too dark. His free hand touched the cold wall and searched blindingly for the switch. Fear ate away the seconds, dread almost making him forgo the lights. Almost.

The shadows were quickly swept away and his heart skipped a beat. Then resumed its beating in a wild and painful rhythm.

Alex, his dear partner and friend, the woman he had spent the last 15 hours desperately searching for, lay, unconscious, on the large bed. Her delicate face looked flushed, her wrists were bound behind her back and her right arm was at too odd an angle to be considered normal. She didn't look to worse for wear, though. Still, Bobby feared – it was hard to be sure with her eyes closed.

"Eames?" It was barely a whisper.

No answer. His eyes continued their journey, from the bed to the bedside, to the chair halfway from the window, blinds closed. The man, who sat there, gun carefully aimed at the woman on the bed, was the same man they had identified on that video. Same, yet different. A tattered shell. A clearly unbalanced man, crazy enough to pull the trigger.

"Good evening, Robert. Please, pull a seat, Robert." The voice lacked command, lifeless, and a bit dangerous. Men, who had nothing to lose were always the most dangerous types. "And, Robert? Lower the gun."

Bobby dared not disobey. Arm fell to the side, large body sat carefully at the end of the bed; all the while sharp eyes remained locked on the still nameless man threatening Alex.

"Most people call me Bobby. And you?"

Most would assume him calm; Andy knew better.

"Most call me Andy… Bobby."

Goren nodded, chancing a glance behind him, at Alex still prone body. He was so tense, he couldn't help but feel like a coiled snake, ready to strike. Years of experience, however, had taught him to remain outwardly impassive.

For an indeterminable amount of time, silence ruled the conversation. Silence and tension. While Bobby tried to pay attention to every move – both from the man and his partner -, Andy took the time to properly watch Bobby. Not for the first time, the former lawyer found himself wondering about the fight he had witnessed.

_What had it really been about?_

"I'm curious, Bobby." Voice continued in its flat tone. "What was your fight about, Bobby?"

"Alex though I was smothering her."

"You're lying, Robert."

Surprise flitted across the detective's light brown eyes. Then, a second, and it was gone, hidden away from view by a carefully constructed mask of impartiality. Andy caught it, though.

"Why did you get violent with her, Bobby?"

"I lost my head, Andy. Just for a moment." Bobby was having a hard time with profiling this man. He ran from one side to the other in apparent randomness. What was he really after?

"You're still lying, Robert. Why, Robert, why?"

Bobby couldn't understand how the man could read him so well, and still believe their staged fight had been real. Unless, he knew it not to be. Concluding that any answer – inevitably far from the truth – would be shot down, and not wanting to push the man into doing something rash, like pulling the trigger, the tall man decided to say nothing at all.

Andy leaned forward.

"Do you still love her?"

Goren stared hard at the murderer, who appeared so calm and collected, but was capable of such horrendous torture. Again, the profile of the man, in the detective's mind, shifted. The torture of the couples had been a desperate manifestation of some anguish within the man, but they had been carefully planned and executed. Alex Eames' kidnapping had been impulsive and moved by anger. This questioning, however… Was it a version of the torture he had inflicted upon the other couples?

All men had their breaking points and it seemed that Andy had reached his. Logic, Bobby was afraid, didn't always work when that was the case.

"Do… you… still… love… her?"

Bobby hoped his decision was the right one.

"Yes."

Anguish, anger and humor shone through the sardonic laugh that suddenly escaped Andy's lips.

Bang!

In a move too fast, and without any forewarning, Andrew shifted the gun from the left to the right and pulled the trigger.

"You don't deserve her, Robert!"

Bobby's eyes widened.

Andy was beyond any use of logic.


	16. Strike three

**DISCLAIMER: in the first chapter...**

**A/N:** More suspence for you, my cherished readers, because - if you are honest with me - you like it!! Thank you for reviewing... Almost finished now.

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**HEARTS UNDEFINED**

**by bloodymary2**

CHAPTER 16: Strike Three

_In a move too fast, and without any forewarning, Andrew shifted the gun from the left to the right and pulled the trigger._

Robert Goren registered the loud noise long before he felt the pain spreading through his chest. Wide eyes, parted lips, incredulous sounds that fell far from being actual words. The veteran officer glanced down, saw the blood and glanced back up.

"You don't deserve her, Robert."

Goren tried to tighten his hold on to the gun he had still held in his hand and found he couldn't. Couldn't feel his hand, his arm or the gun. A quick look proved he couldn't move it, either. The blood had already soaked his blue shirt and hemorrhagic shock had already started to settle in. Bobby could feel it, reality slipping away.

Slowly, like a cat stalking its prey, Andy got up from the easy chair and approached the bed. The other man's gun, he threw to the other side of the bed. Bobby, he pushed off his perch.

The detective's heavy body fell limply to the floor, landing on his side while a grunt sounded from deep within his throat. Andy kicked him on the stomach once, twice, three time, an insane look on his blue gaze. Then, anger diminished and the sadness set back in.

Andy's shoulders dropped, the gun suddenly heavy. For a long moment, he looked at the blood slowly tainting Bobby's shirt. Mesmerizing. It was almost like watching life itself drain from the man's body. There, Andy saw himself… A man dying bit by bit.

A soft groan from his left caught his attention, though not enough to snap him from his sorrow-cloaked stupor. He merely turned his head sideways, seeing Alexandra move. Barely, but moving nonetheless.

_Useless._

Prolonging the inevitable any further would be prolonguing his own pain. And, he was just too tired. No more. His arm raised, the gun pointing towards the woman, who had just began to wake. He almost pulled the trigger. But…

Please, don't…"

The firearm dropped once again.

He couldn't do it.

Andrew fell to his knees, beside his fallen victim.

"Why?" Bobby could no longer see him, but could hear his voice, far off. His head seemed submerged in water, his ears straining to understand each sound wave. "Why did you let it go? How could you give her up so easily?"

Even through muffled ears and a mind already surrendering to a haze, Bobby could identify the desperation oozing from every word.

"I didn't give her up."

"Why did you let her walk away without saying anything!"

_Every sentence, his name…_

The man had stopped repeating his name in every sentence; Andy wasn't talking to him. No, he was talking to himself. Bobby gathered up all the strength he could muster and breathed in deeply.

"_You_ didn't deserve her, Andy. You didn't really love her, Andy." Pause. "Me and Alex, Paul and Melanie… You've been projecting your own failures unto us…. But, we didn't leave, Andy. We didn't leave."

Breakthrough.

Taking advantage of the depressive state Andy had found himself in, Bobby tried to reach for the gun the man still held, albeit loosely. His movements were too stiff, though, his intention too clear. Andy snapped.

Faster than a sonic airplane, he switched from sorrow to anger, a transformation worthy of any bipolar. The man looked livid, a new strength finding his arms and legs. Up came the gun, at the same time Andy jumped to his feet.

"They weren't innocent, Robert!" Kick to the detective's side. Grunt. "You aren't innocent!" Eerie calm and dangerous precision. "You, Robert, are no better than Paul, or Jack… No better than I was, Robert."

The gun stopped wavering.

"Alexandra and you… well." A sardonic smile. "You had your chance, Robert."

Bang!

Horrible, horrible silence.

Sometimes, the silence was more oppressing than the deafening sound of unshots and screams.

"You should have taken yours."

In the distance, the rhythmic noise of sirens could be heard, quickly approaching, yet still so far away.


	17. Demise

**DISCLAIMER:** in the first chapter...

**A/N:** I'm sorry!! Evil me just had to give you that last cliffy. It's like a compulsion or something. More! Really short, but I just had to cut it there. More soon!

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**HEARTS UNDEFINED**

**by bloodymary2**

CHAPTER 17: Demise…

Panting.

Up and down, one could see the chest that heaved. Perspiration had already broken upon pale skin. The oppressing silence that hovered after the gunshot lingered, merely punctuated by the sound of air rushing in and out of burning lungs. One arm hung limply. The other, though, remained steady.

The gun never wavered.

She had shot him.

Long seconds passed before anyone moved. Then, Alex Eames, tired and still numb, let her arm drop. The strength had suddenly abandoned her. The soft thud that followed signaled the gun's contact with the floor.

_Bobby._

Adrenaline, already rushing through her veins, didn't have the opportunity to diminish. As soon as the gun slipped from her clammy fingers, Alex was already rushing to her partner's side.

Too much blood.

A whisper escaped her lips – his name. Then logic managed to subdue the panic and adrenaline – at least momentarily. He needed help. She jumped to her feet and reached for the wireless phone that sat next to his bed. A glance spared at her kidnapper showed an unmoving body.

She had killed him.

_Good._

"Bobby, didn't I tell you to get some rest?"

"Cap?"

"Alex?!"

"Listen, Cap, we're at Goren's apartment and he needs an ambulance, now!"

"Okay."

The telegraphic conversation lasted briefly. Only the necessary was said before the phone was once again discarded. Alex returned to Bobby's side, a rush of relief passing through her heavy body as she heard sirens approaching.

Someone had heard the shots being fired.

"Bobby? Can you hear me? Wake up, Bobby! Help's almost here" Tears were running down her face, sobs chocking her throat. Too many good cops lost this way. This wasn't a stupid movie where everything miraculously worked. But, God, how Alex wished it were so. "Please, Bobby, please!"

No use, though.

Bobby Goren still breathed. But his breaths were shallow, his face too pale. He didn't move when she touched his cheek or pressed her only working hand upon the wound that continued to bleed regardless of her actions. She needed him to wake up and smile at her. He didn't. Bobby's eyes remained half opened, gazing into nothingness.

Alex lost sense of time and space, too lost on the slowing rhythm of his breathing.

A pair of strong hands grasped her shoulders and flair of blinding pain reminded her of her still dislodged socket. A scream escaped dry throat. The hands didn't move away, though. They pulled her from Bobby and, in the blink of an eye, a broad back clad in blue obscured her view.

Alex tried to talk, to say anything. She found herself unable to. Her lips moved, but no word came out. Frustrated, she then tried to move her head, attempting to see who had pulled her. That she managed to achieve. The problem was that the room started to spin too. Spinning, whirling and Alex felt dizzy and nauseous.

Too soon, her body went limp on the officer's arms. Carefully, the young man, a rookie who had never seen a dead body and so much blood before, laid Alex on the floor. He checked her pulse and whispered to his partner, who was tending to Bobby.

The last think Alex saw, before darkness claimed her once more, was the vacant blue eyes of the murderer they had been trying to capture. Dead and anguished. A sight that would haunt her nightmares for years to come.


	18. What is left is

**DISCLAIMER:** in the first chapter...

**A/N:** More!! The way my schedule's been running, I think my new update is going to be monday, or whatever day of the week is best for me. Don't worry, though, this is still going to be semi-weekly. Hope you keep enjoying. Please, review!!

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HEARTS UNDEFINED

**by bloodymary2**

CHAPTER 18: What is left is…

_Heavy._

Body and mind so heavy that any movement or thought turned out to be an arduous task. But, in the silence and in the darkness, there hid his own personal version of insanity. So, with will power and determination, Robert Goren ought against the overpowering lethargy. And, slowly, he managed to wake himself up. In the torturous moment it took his unresponsive lids to actually open, Bobby tried to remember why they were so weighty to begin with.

That also proved to be harder than he would have imagined.

The flashes of memories and feeling danced just out of his grasped, at the same time that they assaulted his every sense. Something to do with their case, dread, worry, blue eyes and pain.

Finally, a slit of light appeared in between his parting lids and blinded his sensitive eyes. Too bright. Booby blinked several times, attempting to clear his sight. Gradually, it worked. As shapes and colors became visible among the endless white, his surroundings became clearer. A strange room. Then, the strong smell of anti-septic hit his nose. And, finally, a slow beeping registered in.

A hospital.

That knowledge brought forth another piece of the puzzle his memories seemed to be submerged in. A loud gunshot, pain and blood. And something else…

_"Please, don't…"_

All of a sudden and all at once, the pieces clicked into place. Bobby remembered calling Alex, rushing to her apartment, finding her gone, searching like crazy and, a few hours later, being forced to go home to sleep. As if he would have been able to. He recalled the broken frame on the floor, the terrible foreboding feeling, Alex unconscious on his bed and Andy…

_Alex._

Andy had shot him and was going o shoot Alex. Try as he might, Bobby couldn't remember anything beyond that. His heart started, its rhythm increasing erratically. Panic set in and he glanced around. She wasn't there. His breaths were coming too hard and too fast; the big man was hyperventilating.

The door flung open.

A doctor and a nurse rushed in. They checked stats and machines, all in perfectly swift efficiency. Bobby barely noticed their presence. The nurse, experienced beyond simple medical knowledge, placed a hand onto his heaving chest and leaned closer.

"You have to calm down, Robert. Deep breaths."

"A- Alex…"

The name came out mangled, not enough air in his lungs to say it properly. The smile on the dark-haired nurse's face, though, indicated her understanding.

"Alex's okay. She's just resting, Robert. You don't have to worry about her. She's the one who's worried about you."

She was okay.

Relief washed over his body, his breathing evened out, and his heart taking some time to follow its example. Bobby breathed in deeply. The nurse, whose nametag he couldn't really read, smiled encouragingly.

"That's good, Robert, that's very good."

Tiredness washed over his sore body, the low that immediately followed the adrenaline high reminding him of the earlier heaviness over his body. His lids dropped without consent, his limbs stopped responding to his commands. It wasn't long before Bobby returned to the land of unconsciousness, lulled by the memory of Alex's slumbering form on his bed breathing in and out.

He wasn't really aware of the time passing.

_Had it been day? _

_Was it day now?_

Eyes cracked open again, the light hurting them less than they had before. Inquisitively, they roomed around his surroundings. Nothing exceptional about this hospital room. Unless you counted the small blonde seating next to his bed. A smile graced his lips before any thought registered in.

"Hi, sleepyhead."

"Hi."

His voice was hoarse, his throat sore when he spoke. Bobby tried swallowing a couple of times, but his mouth was dry. Without having to ask, Alex brought some ice chips to his lips.

"How are you feeling?"

"Crappy." The detective in him couldn't help but peruse her face. "You?"

Shrug. "I've been better."

Bobby breathed in deeply and momentarily closed his eyes, trying to conjure up the memories he felt were still missing to finish the puzzle. His efforts were in vain. "Eames… Wh- What happened?"

She looked away. Stalling or trying to find words, he wasn't sure. With the hand not attached to a sling and cast, she picked at the ends of the blanket that covered his large frame. Alex swallowed hard. A hand much bigger than hers reached out and soon it enveloped hers. The physical contact proved to be the grounding she needed.

Alex glanced up.

"He's dead. I killed him, before he could kill you."

Bobby could see in her eyes, the expectation of rejection he certainly wasn't going to show. He offered her a small smile.

"Thank you."

Alex didn't smile back but her eyes cleared and with them, a little of the guilt faded away. Good. That was all he could think of… Good. Because Andy deserved to die for all the pain he had inflicted upon his partner.

_Sigh._

Certainly, he could understand the killer's point of view. Certainly, that wasn't the first time he had thought the motivations mitigated the murders. But, Andy had crossed the line the moment he had threatened his partner's safety. All bets were off after that line had been breached. All bets.

Alex pulled her hand away and rose from the chair she had been seating on. Faster than he had even considered himself capable of, Bobby reached out and grabbed her hand back.

"Please… don't go."

His blonde, strong partner and friend turned back to face him with tears brimming in her eyes. Eyes that searched his with great intensity. Bobby could only hope she found in his gaze that which she was so desperately looking for.

Whatever _it _turned out to be.


	19. Creation

**DISCLAIMER:** in the first chapter...

**A/N:** So, I debated prolonguing this, but I just loved the way this ended. Writing more, though fun, would best be suited for another story; this one feels finished. Maybe an epilogue. Maybe. I want to thank all who read and all those who took the time to review. Big or small, reviews make me happy always. Thank you also for all those wonderful readers who stayed till the end.

So, here it is, the final chapter...

**

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**HEARTS UNDEFINED**

**by bloodymary2**

CHAPTER 19: Creation

Robert Goren hated being alone.

Sure, as a child, he learned to search for those quiet moments of peace between his father's drunkenness and his mother's mental breaks. He came to associate silence with happiness. But his father was long gone, his mother taken care of and he hadn't seen his brother in quite a while. It was just him.

Alone.

Except… There was Alex, his friend and loyal partner. She had grown to be such a big and important part of his life that Bobby had a hard time imagining it without her constant presence. So, if he was really honest, not so alone anymore.

The tall man shifted, grunting a bit as his healing wound protested his move. Eyes still open, regardless of the moon, which shone brightly through the window, Bobby sought sleep in the small imperfections of the ceiling. Not his ceiling, but a comforting one, nonetheless.

Alex had invited him to stay with her until he recovered. And, though he would have been hesitant to accept under any other circumstances, the thought of sleeping in his bed after everything that had transpiring was a daunting thought. There was still blood tainting his floor.

Sigh.

Sleep had been eluding him since he had been discharged from the hospital. And, when he did manage to catch a few winks, nightmares so horrible plagued his over-imaginative mind, making his body refuse this kind of rest. Better to stay away than to be forced to live through all the what ifs and bad ending this while mess could have produced.

"Bobby?"

A bit startled, he glanced towards the door. On the threshold stood Alex, looking absolutely small and fragile in an oversized shirt and rumpled hair. A smile bloomed upon his lips. How could it not, she looked so adorable.

"Yes?"

"Trouble sleeping?" Bobby shrugged and dropped his head back onto the pillow. He heard her feet move upon the hardwood floor and soon caught sight of her in the corner of his eye. "Wound's disconcerting you?"

"I guess."

A long period of silence enveloped them both, the sort of stillness that irked the soul and greatly differed from the usual comfortable quietness between two good friends. Bobby turned his head sideways and saw Alex shift her feet, unsure. It wasn't him having trouble sleeping after all.

"Would you… stay with me, until I fall asleep?"

Alex offered him a bright smile in response and sat at the corner of the bed. After an awkward pause, she laid down beside him, their faces on the same height for once. Seeing her there, needing the comfort of someone she could trust, yet still so lonely on the other side of the double bed, Bobby reached a hand towards her thin waist. Without a word, without hesitation, he pulled her to him until her body was safely tucked in his arms.

It was new, the sensation of their bodies so intimately together. Sure, they had done many undercover gigs in the past, but it was different somehow. No pretenses, no excuses. Regardless of the novelty of it all, it wasn't uncomfortable. No. It was nice and right and safe.

Alex snuggled deeper into his larger body, being careful not to disturb his wound, though uncaring of what their embrace could mean. Soon, their breaths evened out, somehow in synch and they both fell asleep.

No nightmares plagued them that night.

--------

There were nights when reality and dream mixed and the gun she held then didn't fire fast enough or missed its target completely. Those were nights when she woke up, drenched in sweat and shivering, with his name on her lips. There were nights when her husband Joe and Bobby intertwined in her mind and Alex found herself in a world where she was still married, and her partner was dead, because she hadn't been there.

During those nightmares, Alex had often fought sadness and horror. Guilt always following.

But, that night, Alex hadn't been able to sleep at all and the lure to check on her partner had been too much. He had been so close. Living affirmation of his survival. Before she had known it, the detective had found herself in his room.

Yes, in the moments before sleep slowly gave way to wakefulness, Alex remembered that she wasn't alone. No, a heartbeat echoed steadily beneath her ear, a strong arm held her tightly and a peace embraced her completely. Alex cracked an eye open, almost unwilling to part with the feeling of completion sleep had brought, only to find that it was all true.

She already knew that, of course.

Alex dared not move, lest she woke Bobby up. So, she stayed put, safe in his arms. Preoccupations, reservations and the future could wait. Unnoticed to her own actions, though, her lips curved and her head sunk deeper in the nook of Bobby's shoulder.

"Awake, Alex?" Alexandra Eames froze; her entire body tensing. Then the arm that encircled her tightened its hold and another hand came to rest upon her tangled her. "Please, don't go."

And, just like that, the self assured voice from seconds before had been replaced by the pleading voice of a desperate man.

_Don't go._

So, she didn't, because, in all honesty, she didn't want to. Alex twisted her head up, bringing her nose close to Bobby's. His hot breath tingled her skin and her lips. His eyes burned her with their intensity. And, in that single moment, seemingly frozen in time, Alex saw what she had been desperately looking for, without ever really knowing what it had been exactly…

Yes, there so clearly, it was a wonder she had missed it for so long.

A satisfied smile flourished on her tired face and was met with a kind smile in return. Without words, the couple allowed their heads to rest once more and peacefully returned to the land of dreams.

It was all going to be alright.

Great even.

_Perfect._


End file.
